Classified By: Ambassador Ranneberger for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (S) Although Sheikh Sharif, the head of the Islamic
Courts, executive branch has sometimes made harsh public
statements, he is considered by most knowledgeable observers
to be a moderate (the Ambassador took away that impression
from his late August 2006 meeting with Sharif). Sharif is a
respected and influential figure within Somalia and someone
who could presumably contribute to dialogue and support for a
broad-based national government. Sharif,s close
relationship with TFG Parliament Speaker Hassan could be
helpful in that context. (Interestingly, Hassan said that
TFG PM Gedi and Sharif are close relatives, although this was
probably metaphorical since they are of different clans.)
2. (S) While the Ambassador had made clear that channels were
open for future contact, Sharif never followed up on the
August meeting. The reason is likely that he lacked the
authority to produce from the Islamic Courts, radicals what
we requested in terms of action against terrorists.
3. (S) After consultation with Washington, the Ambassador
managed to reach Sharif by phone in Kismayo on December 31.
Islamic Courts, Foreign Minister Addow participated in the
call from the Ambassador,s residence. The Ambassador told
Sharif that it was the U.S. view that he could play an
important role in helping to promote peace and stability in
Somalia. He indicated that the U.S. was prepared to
recommend that Kenya help bring him to Nairobi if he were
prepared to give his commitment that he was willing to work
to support peace and stability in Somalia based on the TFG
Charter and the TFIs and to reject terrorism (he had already
made the latter position clear in his August discussion with
the Ambassador). Sharif expressed appreciation for the
Ambassador,s efforts. Sharif said that he wanted to be part
of the future of Somalia, but said that he could not leave
Kismayo given that fighting had already begun.
4. (S) Interestingly, TFG Speaker Hassan told the Ambassador
January 1 that he spoke with Sharif following the
Ambassador,s conversation with Sharif. Sharif told Hassan
that he wanted to accept the offer to come to Nairobi, but
that he could not. The presence of hardline members of the
Islamic Courts in the room when Sharif was speaking to the
Ambassador prevented him from having a frank discussion.
Sharif later told Hassan that he used the U.S. discussion
with him to argue that the possibility was still open for the
Courts to play a role in the future of Somalia, but that
further violence would have to be avoided, and that this
accounted for the only very limited resistence in the Kismayo
area. (Trying to turn what was a rout into political capital
with us certainly calls into question Sharif,s credibility.)
5. (S) Sharif is presumably now in flight somewhere in
southern Somalia near the Kenyan border. It remains to be
seen whether he will try to disengage himself from likely
hardline elements he is with, seek to get across the border,
and seek to play a constructive role in building Somalia,s
future. Hassan said that he is trying to get into contact
with Sharif via a Thuraya phone. The Ambassador told Hassan
that, while Sharif,s failure to seize the opportunity on the
31st smacked of deliberate obfuscation, the channels are
still open for discussion with him on the same terms.
RANNEBERGER

Raw content

S E C R E T NAIROBI 005406
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, AND A/S FRAZER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, ASEC, MOPS, SO, ET, KE
SUBJECT: "CORRECTED COPY TO INCLUDE PARAGRAPH
CLASSIFICATION" SOMALIA - SHEIKH SHARIF AND THE FUTURE ROLE
OF ISLAMIC COURTS MODERATES
REF: NAIROBI 05403
Classified By: Ambassador Ranneberger for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (S) Although Sheikh Sharif, the head of the Islamic
Courts, executive branch has sometimes made harsh public
statements, he is considered by most knowledgeable observers
to be a moderate (the Ambassador took away that impression
from his late August 2006 meeting with Sharif). Sharif is a
respected and influential figure within Somalia and someone
who could presumably contribute to dialogue and support for a
broad-based national government. Sharif,s close
relationship with TFG Parliament Speaker Hassan could be
helpful in that context. (Interestingly, Hassan said that
TFG PM Gedi and Sharif are close relatives, although this was
probably metaphorical since they are of different clans.)
2. (S) While the Ambassador had made clear that channels were
open for future contact, Sharif never followed up on the
August meeting. The reason is likely that he lacked the
authority to produce from the Islamic Courts, radicals what
we requested in terms of action against terrorists.
3. (S) After consultation with Washington, the Ambassador
managed to reach Sharif by phone in Kismayo on December 31.
Islamic Courts, Foreign Minister Addow participated in the
call from the Ambassador,s residence. The Ambassador told
Sharif that it was the U.S. view that he could play an
important role in helping to promote peace and stability in
Somalia. He indicated that the U.S. was prepared to
recommend that Kenya help bring him to Nairobi if he were
prepared to give his commitment that he was willing to work
to support peace and stability in Somalia based on the TFG
Charter and the TFIs and to reject terrorism (he had already
made the latter position clear in his August discussion with
the Ambassador). Sharif expressed appreciation for the
Ambassador,s efforts. Sharif said that he wanted to be part
of the future of Somalia, but said that he could not leave
Kismayo given that fighting had already begun.
4. (S) Interestingly, TFG Speaker Hassan told the Ambassador
January 1 that he spoke with Sharif following the
Ambassador,s conversation with Sharif. Sharif told Hassan
that he wanted to accept the offer to come to Nairobi, but
that he could not. The presence of hardline members of the
Islamic Courts in the room when Sharif was speaking to the
Ambassador prevented him from having a frank discussion.
Sharif later told Hassan that he used the U.S. discussion
with him to argue that the possibility was still open for the
Courts to play a role in the future of Somalia, but that
further violence would have to be avoided, and that this
accounted for the only very limited resistence in the Kismayo
area. (Trying to turn what was a rout into political capital
with us certainly calls into question Sharif,s credibility.)
5. (S) Sharif is presumably now in flight somewhere in
southern Somalia near the Kenyan border. It remains to be
seen whether he will try to disengage himself from likely
hardline elements he is with, seek to get across the border,
and seek to play a constructive role in building Somalia,s
future. Hassan said that he is trying to get into contact
with Sharif via a Thuraya phone. The Ambassador told Hassan
that, while Sharif,s failure to seize the opportunity on the
31st smacked of deliberate obfuscation, the channels are
still open for discussion with him on the same terms.
RANNEBERGER